It seems like many other teams are going to benefit from the Padres’ ongoing turmoil! First, it was the Cubs who are looking for good deals from the Padres and now the Orioles are asked to not miss the opportunity to trade Dylan Cease from the Padres. But why the Padres are going to let their star players go? As per the recent reports, the Padres ownership is in turmoil and they are given a payroll limitation for 2025. 

This year the Padres sit at $197.5 million for payroll and moving away from Cease will offer them financial relief. Cease is in his final year before he hits free agency and owes $13.75 million. Now with the Padres looking to trade him away, they can save $13 million to get a few low-cost talents to fill up their pending roster holes. However, why should the Orioles be aggressive in taking Cease?

Getting someone like Dylan Cease at $13.75 million for one year is a golden opportunity, to say the least. Ideally, a player of his capacity cannot be traded, but the internal turmoil of the Padres offered the same. The Orioles already lost their ace pitcher Corbin Burnes to the Diamondbacks and no one better than Cease can take the position in this last minute of the offseason. This is the best time to land Cease because getting a player with a 14-11 record and 3.7 ERA last year at this price is a steal deal and with time, the competition for Cease sweepstakes will increase. It’s just that the Orioles need to check the needs of the Padres and should offer accordingly. 

“CE is one of these guys that you need to go even just for a year”, concluded the Foul Territory debate. For those unaware, the Orioles got into the postseason last year and haven’t been able to win any playoff games. Getting the Padres veteran can thus be the best option to crack their playoff scenes this year. It’s also important for the Orioles to get desperate for Cease as the Cubs are reportedly behind him. A golden opportunity for the Orioles is thus waiting to tap, but time is ticking fast to make the last laugh. 

A logical fit for the Orioles? 

This offseason, the Orioles have signed veterans Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano who, even though effective as pitchers, are fighting against their age. Moreover, Sugano has yet to pitch in the major league and thus adding another ace pitcher is the top priority for the Orioles. Cease can be the perfect fit behind Sugano and Morton this year, considering the Orioles have a good option to trade with the Padres. Coby Mayo can be the first preference for the Orioles here, considering the Padres need a batter behind the plate after losing Kyle Higashioka. Mayo is the 27th prospect and ended up with 27 HR and 99 RBIs for the Orioles in the minor league. 

The Orioles cannot afford to miss a playoff chance this year after their last year’s debacle and Cease can be their best bet here. The 2024 postseason witnessed the greatness of Cease where he started 2 games combined for 5 innings & gave up only 8 runs. Although Cease can be a perfect fit for the Orioles going forward, the only issue coming with him is his inconsistent performance in the last few years. He ended last year with a 3.75 ERA, while his 2023 ERA was 4.58. It’s now for the Orioles to get behind Cease checking all these positives and negatives, but for now, getting him for one year can also make the case for them. 

The Orioles should not miss this golden opportunity and pick up the phone to get the Padres in business. More than the Padres, the desperation of the Orioles should be the key factor here for landing Cease. 

What do you think about the Orioles’ case for Cease? Share your thoughts below.